V-shaped disc screen and method of classifying mixed recyclable materials into four streams

A recycling apparatus for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials, comprising:

• a frame including a base and a pair of inclined sections hingedly mounted to the base to define a generally V-shaped configuration;
• a plurality of shafts rotatably mounted on the frame and spaced apart in a longitudinal direction at a plurality of different vertical heights to follow the generally V-shaped configuration;
• a plurality of discs mounted on each of the shafts, the discs being laterally spaced along corresponding shafts and interleaved with the discs of adjacent shafts and defining a centrally located lowermost region and first and second vertically inclined regions extending from opposite sides of the lowermost region, the discs being shaped, spaced and configured for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials deposited onto the lowermost region;
• means for rotating the shafts of a first portion of the lowermost region and the shafts of the first vertically inclined region adjacent thereto in a first direction;
• means for rotating the shafts of a second portion of the lowermost region and the shafts of the second vertically inclined region adjacent thereto in a second direction;
• the first and second vertically inclined regions being configured so that a portion of the stream of mixed recyclable materials deposited onto the lowermost region can be conveyed up the inclined regions and over a pair of terminal upper ends of the inclined regions;
• and
• lifting means for variably inclining the frame a selected amount so that another portion of the stream of mixed recyclable materials will be conveyed laterally off the lowermost region.

A method of classifying mixed recyclable materials, comprising the steps of:

• providing a generally V-shaped disc screen with a lowermost region and a pair of vertically inclined regions, the lowermost region forming a trough inclined in a lateral direction;
• depositing an incoming stream of mixed recyclable materials onto the trough;
• passing a first portion of the mixed recyclable materials between a first plurality of discs in the trough to form a first stream of classified materials;
• conveying a second portion of the mixed recyclable materials up and over a second plurality of discs in the vertically inclined regions of the disc screen and off a pair of upper terminal ends of the vertically inclined regions to form second and third streams of classified materials;
• and
• conveying a third portion of the mixed recyclable materials along the lateral direction over the trough and off of a lower end of the trough to form a fourth stream of classified materials.

A recycling apparatus for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials, comprising:

• a frame having a pair of opposite sides and including a base and a pair of inclined sections hingedly mounted to the base to define a generally V-shaped configuration;
• a plurality of shafts each having hollow ends;
• means for rotatably mounting the ends of each of the shafts to the sides of the frame so that the shafts extend in a longitudinally spaced apart, substantially parallel relation, at a plurality of different vertical heights to follow the generally V-shaped configuration, including a resilient deformable plug inserted into an end of a corresponding shaft, a stub shaft inserted into a hollow interior opening in the plug, and at least one bearing assembly supported by a corresponding side of the frame, the stub shaft having a portion journaled in the bearing assembly;
• means for rotating the shafts of a first portion of a lowermost region and the shafts of a first vertically inclined region adjacent thereto in a first direction;
• means for rotating the shafts of a second portion of the lowermost region and the shafts of a second vertically inclined region adjacent thereto in a second direction;
• the first and second vertically inclined regions being configured so that a portion of the stream of mixed recyclable materials deposited onto the lowermost region can be conveyed up the inclined regions and over a pair of terminal upper ends of the inclined regions;
• and
• lifting means for variably inclining the frame a selected amount so that another portion of the stream of mixed recyclable materials will be conveyed laterally off the lowermost region.